Chinese Coins Celebrating Scientific Inventions Lead Heritage's $8.4 Million HKINF World & Ancient Coins Auction

Two gold Chinese coins celebrating notable scientific inventions sold for $816,000 each to lead Heritage's HKINF World & Ancient Coins Platinum Session and Signature^® Auction - Hong Kong to $8,398,056 June 19-21. Heritage's HKINF World Paper Money Signature^® Auction - Hong Kong reached $2,231,089 June 18-21, boosting the total from the events to $10,629,145.

Sharing top-lot honors were a People's Republic gold Proof "Compass" 2000 Yuan (1 Kilo) 1992 PR69 Ultra Cameo NGC and a People's Republic gold Proof "Seismography" 2000 Yuan (1 Kilo) 1992 PR68 Ultra Cameo NGC from the Scientific Inventions and Discoveries Series of Ancient China Series, each of which comes from a minute mintage of just 10 pieces.

"These coins celebrate enormously important inventions that are used today and are a significant part of the foundation of numerous areas of scientific study," says Cris Bierrenbach, Executive Vice President at Heritage Auctions. "The items pictured on these coins represented a massive leap in technological discovery, and it is only appropriate that they are depicted on the magnificent coins sold in this auction."

A People's Republic gold Proof "Guanyin Bodhisattva" 1500 Yuan 1993 PR69 Ultra Cameo NGC soared past its pre-auction estimates before closing at $432,000. This magnificent coin also is exceedingly rare, from a mintage of just 30; this event marked its first appearance at auction in at least two decades.

More than a dozen bids poured in for a Republic Tsao Kun gold Dollar ND (1923) MS62 NGC until it ended at $192,000. This Dollar-sized gold issue, requisitioned by Republic of China President Tsau Kun upon the promulgation of the new Constitution by the Peking Senate in 1923, portrays the warlord and politician in military uniform. This was the first time Heritage has brought this Chinese rarity to auction in nearly a decade.

Also crushing pre-auction estimates was a Republic Yuan Shih-kai "Plumed Hat" Dollar ND (1916) MS64+ PCGS that was struck for the inauguration of Yuan Shih-Kai as Emperor Hung-hsein and drew a winning bid of $180,000. His imperial reign as emperor was brief, but those issues struck in commemoration of the event remain a target of the most serious collectors, especially examples in such exquisite condition. One of the rarities from the Sun Yat-sen series, a Republic Sun Yat-sen Specimen Pattern 1/2 Dollar (50 Cents) Year 25 (1936) SP63 PCGS finished at $168,000. Whether these issues were struck at the San Francisco Mint or the Central Mint of Shanghai (Kann purporting the latter) has been the subject of some debate, but what is known is the fact that the specimen offered in this auction carries the second-highest grade at PCGS, with none graded higher at NGC.

A Republic Sun Yat-sen silver Specimen British Pattern "Junk" Dollar Year 18 (1929) SP64 PCGS climbed to $120,000. Struck from British mint-made dies, it is a sought-after and difficult Pattern to locate from the entire Chinese series. This issue is coveted by advanced collectors, especially in this exceptional, near-Gem state of preservation, and is topped by just three other examples.

Other top results included, but were not limited to:

$108,000: a Hsüan-t'ung Specimen Pattern 50 Cents Year 3 (1911) UNC Details (Cleaned) PCGS

$108,000: a Kiangnan. Kuang-hsü Dollar ND (1897) UNC Details (Cleaned) PCGS

$102,000: a Hsüan-t'ung silver Pattern Dollar ND (1910) MS63 PCGS

$102,000: a Qing Dynasty. Wen Zong (Xian Feng) 1000 Cash ND (May-August 1854) Certified 90 by Gong Bo Grading

$102,000: a Republic Sun Yat-sen silver Specimen Italian Pattern "Junk" Dollar Year 18 (1929)-R UNC Details (Cleaned) PCGS

$102,000: a People's Republic brass Proof Pattern "Great Wall Panda" 100 Yuan 1982 PR69 Ultra Cameo NGC

Complete results can be found at HA.com/3117.

World Paper Money

Leading the World Paper Money auction was a China Hupeh Government Mint 1 Dollar = 7 Mace 2 Candareens 1899 Pick S2135 S/M#H175-20 PMG Choice Extremely Fine 45 that more than doubled its pre-auction estimate when it sold for $50,400 after drawing more than a dozen bids. "This is an exceptional note, both in physical size and state of preservation, so it is no surprise that it was pursued so aggressively," says Dustin Johnston, Vice President of Numismatics at Heritage Auctions. "Because it could be exchanged for a crown-sized silver dollar, the vast majority of them were redeemed long ago, making this an unquestioned prize within its new collection. These notes have long been prized among collectors, and this is the finest problem-free example."

Part of the lone issue by the Hupeh Government Mint, this example is the second-finest, and one of the few original pieces, of just 36 examples graded in the PMG Population Report.

A China People's Bank of China 500 Yuan 1949 Pick 843a S/M#C282-55 PMG Superb Gem Unc 67 EPQ drew a dozen bids before closing at $38,400. The magnificent example in this auction, with an industrial steam shovel vignette featured on the front, is tied for the highest-graded in the PMG Population Report.

An elusive China People's Bank of China 1000 Yuan 1949 Pick 849a S/M#C282-60 PMG Gem Uncirculated 66 EPQ drew a winning bid of $28,800. Exceedingly scarce and highly collectible, this note features a harvesting scene with a donkey cart as the central design. No finer examples are listed in the PMG Population Report.

Two exceptional notes, an India Government of India, Lahore or Calcutta 20 Rupees 30.11.1905 Pick A14d PMG Very Fine 20 and a Hong Kong Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corp. 10 Dollars 1.4.1893 Pick 143 KNB34a-f PMG Choice Fine 15, each ended at $26,400. The 20 Rupees note is one of the rarest denominations in India's uniface series. This example, featuring the city of issue/redemption of Calcutta and Lahore, is one of just three examples present in the PMG Population Report and the first ever offered at Heritage Auctions. The Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation 10 is notoriously rare: PMG has graded just five examples of all known dates from 1893-98.

Two beautiful Chinese notes, a Pei Yang Tientsin Bank 3 Dollars ND (ca. 1910) Pick S2527 S/M#P35-11 PMG Gem Uncirculated 66 EPQ and a Land Bank of China Ltd., Shanghai 1 Yuan 1.6.1931 Pick 504 S/M#C285-10 PMG Gem Uncirculated 66 EPQ, each brought $25,200. The Pei Yang 3 is a popular type note, one of the most beautiful of all Bradbury, Wilkinson & Company designs, examples of which generally are rare, especially in the best collector grades. All notes in this series are considered Remainders, and only one example is graded higher in the PMG Population Report. The Shanghai 1 Yuan also is an exceptional example, with just one grading higher in the PMG Population Report. The Land Bank of China issued banknotes in two series: 1926 and 1931 — each with a small print total.Other top lots included, but were not limited to:

$24,000: a Malaya and British Borneo Board of Commissioners of Currency 10,000 Dollars ND (1953) Pick 7cts Color Trial Specimen PMG Choice About Unc 58 EPQ

$21,600: a Philippines Philippine National Bank 100 Pesos 1920 Pick 50 PMG Very Fine 20

$21,600: a Singapore Board of Commissioners of Currency 10,000 Dollars ND (1973) Pick 8A PMG Extremely Fine 40

$21,600: a Hong Kong Chartered Bank of India, Australia & China 5 Dollars 1.9.1923 Pick 47 KNB22 PMG Very Fine 20

$20,400: a Macau Banco Nacional Ultramarino 100 Patacas ND (ca. 1906) Pick 6Acts Color Trial Specimen PMG Choice About Unc 58

Complete results can be found at HA.com/4051.